10. Availability & Scheduling ~ A good buiding contractor is always busy and booked months in advance. Although cancellations do occur, beware of the builder who is available immediately.

9. Education ~ A specific education in construction is a definite asset.

8. Problem Solving ~ Talk specifically with all references about the builder's problem solving skills when unexpected situations arise. Ask them what difficulties they ran into and how they were overcome.

7. Organization ~ Ask to see samples of the builder's paperwork and billing. It should be easy to understand and be presented clearly. Notice how a builder keeps a job organized, clocks hours, and prepares bills.

6. Experience ~ Experience is very important in the construction industry. Remember experience and age are not the same thing, some young builders have more experience than builders twice their age. The builder should have many completed projects behind them, as well as having worked with a variety of building projects and construction complexities. A big range of experience represents a strong problem solving ability.

5. References ~ Obtain a minimum of three references from your builder. Ensure one of the references is from a client with whom there were special challenges to be resolved.

4. Product & Presentation ~ Arrange to view both a high-end building project as well as a budget build done by the same builder. Although one will be of more value and better quality materials, the fit and finish should still be flawless. The builder should be patient and welcome you to examine his work. They will be happy to show off their talent and point out the details.

3. Legally Licensed ~ Because there are no legal requirements for builders in the UK, it is easy for a person to portray themselves as a builder. Checking customers recommendations would easily filter them out.

2. Properly Insured ~ Be careful! If the insurances required by the builder are not provided or paid up, the liability transfers over to the home owner.

1. Paying Builders ~ Never pay upfront for any building work. Recommended builders will never ask for payment upfront. When in doubt, get out ~ Remember – When choosing the right builder it is very important that you have a good rapport. Depending on the size of the project, this could be a long term and at times stressful relationship. So, if there is any doubt, Get Out!

Rogue builders jailed for scam

A GANG of cowboy builders who fleeced home-owners out of nearly £1m for work they never did – including residents in Swindon – have been given lengthy jail terms.

The Swindon Advertiser read more….

The builders quoted for contracts totalling £1.8m and collected as much cash up front as possible before disappearing.

Gang leader Nicholas Harris, 45, was jailed for eight years, Mark Dixon, 43, was jailed for seven years and Matthew Higgins, 34, received a six-year prison term. All three men are from Gloucester.

The men ran two linked firms called Construction Management Development Ltd and CMD Services Ltd to con more than 50 people across the south of England out of more than £900,000.

According to prosecutors, the men deceived residents in Swindon, as well as Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, West Midlands, Bristol, Devon, Cornwall, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, and Kent.

The gang targeted home owners who had been granted planning permission for extensions, Bristol Crown Court heard.

They claimed to be specialists at one and two-storey extensions and would offer very competitive quotes, an early start to the job and supply references from supposedly satisfied customers.

Once a contract was signed the gang would get their victims to hand over a deposit of between 10 per cent and 20 per cent before starting work.

One victim was quoted a price of £238,000 for work to his home and was conned out of £20,000 by the gang.

Many victims were anxious for the work to be completed so they could provide accommodation for elderly relatives. Some died before the work was completed.

In one case, a boy with cerebral palsy had to sleep on a sofa with his mother while his father slept on an inflatable mattress because Harris and his accomplices had let them down.

Prosecutor Rupert Lowe said: “Their business was geared to getting money. The whole operation was dishonest from start to finish, taking the maximum amount of money, doing the minimum work and then scarpering.”

The court heard Harris used the proceeds to fund a luxurious lifestyle.

The gang were found guilty by a jury last week of a charge of conspiracy to defraud between April 2005 and October 2007 after a three-month trial. Co-accused Leighton Docksey, 34, and Lee Ireson, 30, were found not guilty.

Jailing the trio, Judge David Ticehurst said the gang used lies and deception every day and branded the fraud breathtaking in its scope and scale.

“How any of you slept at night knowing how you were treating people, some with disabilities, some with elderly and sick relatives and disabled children, is beyond belief,” he said.